Famous People and Things That Came From The Bronx

As we continue to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Bronx County and the 375th Anniversary of Jonas Broncks arrival as the first European settler, we continue our series of fun facts about our beloved borough.

Delicious Dulce De Leche...yummy / Image Credit: Scoop Adventures — Delicious Dulce De Leche…yummy / Image Credit: **Scoop Adventures**

1. Häagen-Dazs^®was born in The Bronx in the early 1920s and was sold out of horse drawn wagons.

The Helmsley Mausoleum features a stained glass window of the New York City skyline, including the Empire State Building which they owned at one point. / Image Credit: Nancy/Flickr — The Helmsley Mausoleum features a stained glass window of the New York City skyline, including the Empire State Building which they owned at one point. / Image Credit: **Nancy/Flickr**

2. Real Estate tycoon Harry Helmsley was born in The Bronx in 1909 and went to Evander Childs HS. At one point in time, his company was one of the biggest property owners in the nation and even owned the Empire State Building. Unfortunately he fell to the dark side and was indicted for tax evasion along with his notoriously famous wife, Leona Helmsley. He is buried at the family plot in Woodlawn Cemetery.

025_anne_bancroft_theredlist — The Stunning Anne Bancroft / Image Credit: **The Red List**

3. The late Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy, & Tony Winner Anne Bancroft was also born and raised in The Bronx. Born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano, Bancroft went to Columbus High School and a career that spanned over 50 years. She passed away in 2005.

Best Selling Author, Mary Higgins Clark and proud Bronxite / Image Credit: http://www.maryhigginsclark.com — Best Selling Author, Mary Higgins Clark and proud Bronxite / Image Credit: **http://www.maryhigginsclark.com**

4. The ‘Queen of Suspense’, author Mary Higgins Clark was also born and raised in the Bronx in 1927. The author has sold over 80 million copies of her books in the United States alone.

15 time Emmy winner Sonia Manzano with Big Bird at the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 2009 / Image Credit: John Shearer/Getty Images North America

5. Sonia Manzano can tell you how to get to Sesame Street. Born in New Jersey but raised in the South Bronx, Manzano, known as Maria from Sesame Street to millions of kids has been a part of children’s lives since 1974 teaching us so much.

Kerry Washington / Image Credit: Mashable

6. Known to millions as Olivia Pope from the hit show, ‘Scandal’, Kerry Washington was born in the Bronx in 1977 as well as raised in our borough. Oh and she she is also related to another famous Bronxite: Former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell is her cousin.

That’s all for now, make sure you check out our other facts if you haven’t done so already!

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Ed García Conde

Ed García Conde is a life-long Bronxite who spends his time documenting the people, places, and things that make the borough a special place in the hopes of dispelling the negative stereotypes associated with The Bronx. His writings are often cited by mainstream media and is often consulted for his expertise on the borough's rich history.